Juneau Gold Rush Days to Celebrate Mining and Logging this Weekend

Juneau, AK (KINY) - This weekend, Juneau will be getting to see strength, skill, and dexterity on display at the 28th Juneau Gold Rush Days at Savikko Park (Sandy Beach).

The mining and logging celebration gives anyone the opportunity to put their bodies to the test at various tasks and competitions like log rolling, axe throwing, spike driving, or jackleg drilling. Jerry Harmon and Jim Wilcox were both guests on Capital Chat to talk about the event and invited anyone and everyone to come out and enjoy these two industries at play.

Harmon first explained what Gold Rush Days is all about.

"It's a celebration that we started 28 years ago. Jim and I have been involved in it all of those years. It is a family get together and we have all kinds of activities for both kids and adults. We have competition in mining and logging. It was started to bring all of the people in Juneau together with the mining and logging communities to let them know that we are a part of Juneau and that we are here to stay."

Both Wilcox and Harmon assured that anyone can jump into these competitions.

"For example, my wife isn't a logger, but she's going to be axe throwing again this year."

"Log rolling is a big one," says Harmon, "We get new people to do it every year that have never set foot on a log in the water and they do quite well with it."

When asked on Capital Chat if women compete as much as men do, Harmon spoke about one of the reigning champions of the event.

"The all around resource competitor for years out there has been Alea Oien and she scores more points in all of the events than anybody else."

They have more than 25 booths so far this year, with many politicians setting up to talk to the public, but for those with an appetite there are going to be ten food booths set up.

Saturday June 16th from 9am-5pm will be dedicated to the mining competitions, while the logging competitions will start on Sunday at 9am. The event is being sponsored by the Juneau Radio Center, Alaska Marine Lines, CMI, Redpath Mining, Kensington, and Hecla Greens Creek just to name a few, but there are lots and lots of other organizations and individuals helping to make sure that Gold Rush Days is able to run.

Again the dates for the event are THIS weekend, Saturday June 16th and Sunday June 17th.

Juneau, Alaska (KINY) - Governor Mike Dunleavy has sent a letter to the Senate and House Finance Committee chairs informing them that key departments within the State of Alaska are running out of money.

Juneau, Alaska (KINY) - The Partnership, Inc., the non-profit that raises funds to build the New Juneau Arts & Culture Center, or New JACC, has announced the completion of efforts to match a major donation from Coeur Alaska – Kensington Mine.